Days before Art Basel officially opened its 10th year in Miami, nearby galleries and streets were already bustling with activity. 2011 was the year of Miami’s Wynwood arts district, the heart of street art and graffiti during Basel week. It was no surprise to meet graffiti icon COPE2 on the evening of November 30th, who arrived early to tag walls- nearby LA-based street artist Buff Monster- and prepare his “Rise to the Occasion” exhibit.
Curated by friend Fernando Ruiz Lorenzo, “Rise to the Occasion” debuts new mixed media works of acrylic, enamel, and paper art, representing the artist’s wildstyle” imagery. Outside the gallery building walls is a huge “Cope2” mural, over 100 feet of the artist’s signature bubble logo, and various tags in neighboring alley ways. Recently identified as Cope2, the artist became increasingly popular thanks to projects with Adidas, Time Magazine, and the “Grand Theft Auto” video game. Brooklyn-based Cope2 hopes to continue his “coming of age” experience by visiting more cities like Miami and cross the boundaries between street and fine art. “Rise to the Occasion” exhibited in Wynwood Miami, from December 1-4th, 2011. – Caro
